Minister says Romania will start producing medical masks, biocides

Local textile manufacturers are willing to start producing medical masks and protective equipment instead of their usual output, economy minister Virgil Popescu said in an interview with the public station TVR.

“Now we can see the damage that was done in Romania because we no longer manufactured much in the last 10-15 years. I have spoken with textile companies and we will start manufacturing masks and protection equipment for doctors. We are trying to find the materials and we will start producing them,” the minister said.

Popescu said finding the materials for masks and protection equipment was an issue but he was confident the supplies would be found this week.

The minister also announced that local cosmetics company Farmec has received the Government’s authorization to start manufacturing biocides.

“I can give you another good news: Farmec Cluj has requested the approval to start producing biocides. There is no other biocide manufacturer in Romania and I have discussed this with the health minister, we unblocked things and the biocide production will start so we won’t be completely dependent on imports,” the minister said.

Popescu also argued in favor of restarting “the essential industry” producing “not just sanitary supplies but all the products a country needs in a crisis situation.”

“I think this crisis woke us up and those in Europe as well; I also think we all understood how important it is to manufacture vital products in our country. You have seen what has happened with the imports from China, they were cut suddenly,” he said.

Meanwhile, Dunărea de Jos University in Galați, in eastern Romania, said it would produce disinfectant for the use of its employees and to clean the surfaces inside its buildings, Stiri.tvr.ro reported. If the coronavirus crisis will go on, it could start producing disinfectant substances for the community.

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